Pages

January 4, 2009

Bard Excited About Return To Fenway

made me grow up in a hurry. It's easy to hide in the shadows and go along and collect a paycheck. This was kind of the first time I was in the spotlight ...

Looking back in hindsight, they've told me they regret that move. There's never been a second of hard feelings from my end. ... I look forward to getting back into this fight. You find out what you're made of, playing at Fenway Park, playing in games that matter.

How many games he'll play in 2009 remains unknown. Bard could be the starter or he could be a back-up (possible to a returning Jason Varitek).

A lot of people have asked me, family and friends out here, "Are you nervous about going back or is it going to be scary to go back and catch Wakefield?" My response has always been that scary is not going back and catching Wakefield.

Scary is when I got traded to the Padres and didn't play for 13 days and was sitting on the bench and not knowing if I was going to get called into the office that night [and sent to the minors].

Have you seen the new MLB Network? I was wondering what your take on it is. I hear that the first few weeks will be Red Sox heavy. I watched the first day of programming which was a sportscenter like show and then the Larson Perfect Game in it's entirety. Then it was all re-runs of the sports center show. I am sure they have more content then that but that was just day one. Hazel Mae is on there in a lead role.

In other news, an intriguing story in today's Dallas Morning News on Michael Young.

It seems that the erstwhile Rangers' GM, Josh Daniels (whose staying power and competence in his job is approaching Matt Millen-esque stature) informed SS Michael Young that he would need to move to 3B to make room for uber-rookie, Elvis Andrus, acquired in the 2007 deadline deal that sent former Ranger and current Yankee sycophant Mark Teixeira to Atlanta.

After previously agreeing to move from 2B to SS to make room for Ian Kinsler, Daniels is asking Young to move again AFTER a season in which he won his first Gold Glove as a SS.

Young is a classy pro and consumate team player, and has never complained about playing for such a shitty organization in an increasingly tepid baseball market. However, this latest move from the front-office has Young asking for a trade.

So.....ponder the potential of a trade that would bring the now disgruntled Young and either Teagarden or Saltalamacchia to BOS in exchange for Bucholz, Lowry, and one other player. Young is a bona fide all-star, one who would be an offensive and defensive upgrade at SS (and a great fit in the clubhouse) while the team gets the catching help they've been searching for.